Governor.



No. 7I3,463. Patented-Nov. Il, |902.

J. A. LIGHTHIPE. GOVERNUR.

(Applicntion filed Aug. B6, 1898.) (lo lodel.)

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i JamesaqLighthipe,

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Patented Nov. Il, |902.

No. 7|3,4s3.

J. A. LIGHTHIPE.

GUVERNUR.

.Appxmmon am Aug. 2e, isss.)

4 Sheets-Sheet A3.

(Ilo Model.)

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oqtty.

No. 7I3,463. Patented Nov. `Il, |902.

J. A. L|GHTH|PE.

GUVERNOB.

(Appliution Mod Aug. 80, 1898.) (Ilo nodal.) 4 Shoots-Sheet v4,

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James Jq. Lghbhp'e, i by Mw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. LIGHTHIPE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,463, dated November 11, 1902.

Application filed August 26,1898. Serial No. 689,550. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern: straight compounding or for overcompound- Be it known that I, JAMES A. LIGHTHIPE, a ing. citizen of the United States, residing at San Another feature of my invention resides in Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and a device for preventing hunting, so arranged 5 State of California, haveinvented certain new that the adjustment of the valve is automatand useful Improvements in Governors, of icallystopped beforethe machine has fully rewhich the following is a specication. sponded to the change.

My invention relates to governors of prime My invention further comprises an arrangemovers of any type, and is especially adapted ment for supplying current to a motor-con- 6o 1o for use with devices driving dynamo-electric trolling device which, though here shown in machines. I have illustrated it in the drawconnection with a motor controlling a waterings hereto attached as applied to the govwheel, is applicable in various relations.

ernment of a water-wheeldirect-connected to I further provide an automatic arrangea dynamo-electric machine, for which purment for preventing an excessive travel of the I5 pose it is particularly fitted. valve or other regulating device and various The ordinary governor consists of a cenother improvements to be hereinafter more trifugal device and means for varying the particularly described and claimed. speed of the prime mover in accordance with In the accompanying drawings, which show the position of some part of the centrifugal an embodiment of my invention, Figures l 7o zo device, and thusin accordance with thespeed. and 2 are side elevations. Fig. 3 is an end Such an apparatus necessarily causes the elevation, partly in section. Fig. et is a deprime mover to run more slowly at full load tail end elevation, showing the friction-brake. than at no load, since the different positions Fig. 5 is a plan of the device. Figs. 6, 7, and of the valves or other controlling device must S are enlarged views showing the apparatus z5 necessarily correspond to dilerent positions for preventing hunting, and Fig. 9 is a diaof the centrifugal devices. Such a governor gram of the circuits. is further responsive to changes of speed and Referring more particularly to Fig. 9, Z is does not act until after the change of speed a water-wheel, shown direct-connected to a has taken place, which tends to causeimperdirect-current generator Z, which feeds 8o 3o feet regulation and huntingf7 translating devices, such as lamps Z2. ZS is One feature of myinvention consistsin coma valve controlling the speed of the waterbining with such a governor a device so arwheel. This valve is opened and closed by ranged that a change of load has the same eflinks T, which are reciprocated by the action feet upon the governor as a change ofspeed. of a screw S upon the block or cross-head nut 35 In the particular application shown a ball- N. This screw is rotatedby an electric motor governor serves to control the admission of M,asisshown morein detailin Figs. 1,2and 5. water to a water-wheel driving a dynamo- The field-magnets M' of this motor are exelectric machine, and in carrying out this cited in series with its armature M2 by eurfeature of my invention I have provided rent taken from any suitable source of elec- 9o 4o means whereby an increase in the current tricity-as, for example, from the lines, as

taken from the dynamo-electric machine will shown. causeanincreasein the amount of water sup- DS is a direction switch or reversingplied to the water-wheel independent of the switch for determining the direction of mociect-of speed on the ball-governor. In this tion of the motor M. The structure of this 45 way I am able to cause the speed of the waswitch is shown best in Figs. 2 and 5, while ter-wheel to remain constant at all loads or, its electrical connectionsmay be easily unif desirable, to beincreased as the load comes derstood by reference to Fig. 9. It will be on, which has the elect of compounding the seen that there are four stationary contacts dynamo-electric machine, so that a shunta a a2 a3, which are held rigidly in place upon roo i 5o wound machine may be used to take the place a fixed member of the apparatus. The of a compound wound machine either for switch-lever carries two armaturesjj' and a flexible strip f, supporting the contact-points e e. A springtends to hold the contacts in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 2. Electromagnets Z Z are arranged to act upon the armaturesjj to force the points to make contact either with the points ct a2 or with the points a a3. It will thus be seen that when no current owsin either of the magnets Z Z' the motor M remains stationary; but when current does ow in either one of the magnets the switch DS is caused to close the circuit of the motor, so that it will run in one direction or the other, according to which one of the magnets Z Z is energized. It is evident that these magnets may be excited from .any suitable source of current; but I prefer to excite them from a storage battery or polarized cell SB, connnected in multiple with the mains in series with the resistance LR,

which may be composed of a bank of lamps. The result of this arrangement is that the battery is kept continually charged and is at all times ready to supply current at low potential to the magnets Z Z'. The terminal 3 of the battery is connected to the lever L,

while the terminal 4 is connected to both of the magnet-coils Z Z', which in turn are connected, respectively, to the contacts A A through the safety-switch?, which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The lever L (shown more fully-in Fig. l) is pivoted at the point F and is provided with a contact-strip K, supported from the free end of the lever by a spring 7c. A link L connects the lever with the ball-governor G, which is driven by means of the pulley at a speed corresponding to the speed of the governed mechanism. The details of construction of the governor will be evident from inspection and are such as to cause the free end of the lever L to rise when the speed is too low and to fall when the speed becomes too high. An adjustable weight z is fastened to the lever in such a way as to normally balance it at the proper point.

It will be seen in Fig. 9 that when the speed becomes too slow the free end of the lever L rises and carries up the contact-strip K, so that current flows from the terminal 3 of the storage battery to the lever L, strip K, contact A, thence through the contacts q r of the safety-.switch P, through the magnet Z, and back to the storage battery at 4. This energizes the magnet Z and draws the arm fof the direction-switch to the right, so that the points a' and e' and a2 and e, respectively, come in contact with each other. Current now fiows from the mains at 5 to the contact e, contact a2, through the commutator on the armature M2, to the contact a', contact e, through the brake-retracting coil s, whose function will be more fully described hereinafter, through the held-magnets M', and back to line at 6. The motor now starts up and runs and drives the screw S in such a direction as to cause the links T to open the valve Z9. The speed of the prime mover then rises until the lever L drops sufiiciently to allow the strip K to leave the contactA. If, however, the machines are run too fast, the magnet Z will be energized, the arm f will be pulled to the left, and the circuit through the motor M will be closed in such a way that it will run in the opposite direction.

When no regulation is required, the spring t', Fig. 2, holds the spring-points e e in the central or 0R position, so that the circuit of the motor is interrupted. In this condition the motor is prevented from rotating by a friction-brake. (Shown in the end elevation, Fig. 3, and also shown more in detail in the section, Fig. 4.)

C is a drum attached to the shaft of the motor, on which bears a friction-brake composed of two arms t t', which are pivoted at u tt. These arms are drawn together by the adjustable spring y when no current flows in the motor-circuit; but when current flows through the motor it also flows through the coil s, which serves to energize the core s' and attract the armatures c o', so as to retract the arms t t from the drum C. It will be seen that the action of this brake will be to immediately stop the motor when the valve is brought to the regulating position and also to hold it stopped when no regulation is needed, though it does not in any wayinterfere with the action of the regulator.

The safety-switch P is designed to prevent the motor M from driving the valve beyond the extreme limit ot its travel in either direction when any abnormal condition arisesas, for example, when the machine Z is shut down and the lever L should remain in contact with A. The construction of this switch is shown in Fig. l. It will be seen that the cross-head or nut N carries an' extension m, provided with two roller projections mfm2. These projections act upon the switches q q', which consist of irregularly-shaped pieces, as shown, held in the position shown by a spring n, which spring is overset, so that it tends to maintain the switch in whichever one of its extreme positions it may then be. Suppose, for example, that the water-wheel is shut down by means of an external valve, as shown. The cross-head N evidently travels to the right in Fig. l under the action of the governor until [inally the roller m reaches and throws over the switch q. Referring to Fig. 9, it will be seen that this action will tend to cause current to iiow from q top instead of from q to r, so that the magnet Z will be denergized and the magnet Z will be energized. This will reverse the motor M, which will cause the cross-head N to stop and to draw back toward the right until the switch q is placed in a position intermediate the two contacts p and r. Extreme travel in the -other direction is prevented by the switch q', which acts in the same way as does the' switch q.

To prevent the governor from racing, it is necessary that when any change of speed oc- IOO IIO

curs which tends to open or close the valve this action be stopped just before the waterwheel or other prime mover has fully responded to the movement; otherwise the water-wheel would come to the desired speed, with the motor M/ still in motion and still tending to move the valve. This would cause excessive correction, which would cause the governor to act in the other direction, and racing or hunt-ing would occur. To prevent this action, I provide a means whereby the contact between the lever K and the contacts A A is broken before the valve has completely responded to the governor. In other words, I provide an arrangement such that the very action which results from the closing of a contact tends to open that contact.

Referring to Figs. l, 6, 7, and S, it will be seen that the contacts A Al are mounted on a frame E, which reciprocates on the standard E, being attached thereto by bolts E2, eX- tending through slots in the frame. This frame is drawn downward by a spring D and is forced upward by a device W, which consists of a horizontal arm w and an inclined arm w', whose angle of inclination is adjusted ,through the screw O and the milled heads O/ O. The frame E carries the roller J2, and it will be obvious that a lateral reciprocating motion of the arm w (a right and left movement, Fig. 6) will cause a vertical reciproeating motion of the plate E'.

Referring now to Fig. l, it will be seen that the cross-head nut N has pivoted to it a link V', which in turn is pivoted to an arm Y, pivoted at Y', and an arm Vis pivoted at one end to the arm Y. The arm V is pivoted at its other end to the arm w of the device W. This apparatus constitutes means for reducing motion, such that any motion of the'cross-head N will be accompanied by a corresponding motion of the arm w, though on a reduced scale. Suppose now that the lever L, Fig. 9, rises, so that the stop K makes contact with the contact A. This action will cause the cross-head nutN to move to the right in Fig. l, which will cause the arm tu to move to the right and raise the contact A away from the strip K. If this action takes place too soon, a further rise of the lever L Will cause a further travel of the motor, valve, and contact A. In this way the action of the governor is made more gradual and hunting is prevented.

The device, as thus far described, is responsive alone to speed in the prime mover; but I provide a solenoid H, (shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, 5, and 9,) so arranged that an increase ofcurrentin the main circuit,which of course corresponds to increased load upon the prime mover, will have the same tendency as decrease of speed-namely, a tendency to raise the lever L. This action is practically instantaneous and takes place irrespective of and before any change in speed of the prime mover. Correspondingly, any decrease in the current in the circuit will drop the arm L and partially close the valve of the prime mover, and thus anticipate the regulation which will normally be caused by the increased speed resulting from the decreased load. It will be readily seen that as the load suddenly changes the governor and t-he solenoid coperate or oppose each other, as the case may be. Thus upon a sudden increase in load the solenoid causes an upward pull on the lever L in opposition to the centrifugal action of the governor, while a directly contrary eect is produced upon a sudden decrease in load, in which latter case the solenoid decreases its pull upon the lever L, which with its attached weight moves in the same direction as would be produced by the centrifugal action of the governor.

It will be seen at once that the various regulating devices and safety devices, such as the safety-switch P and the antihunting device V, operate as well in response to the solenoid H as they do in response to the governor G. I have thus provided a governor which is responsive both to changes of speed and changes of load and which, therefore, is capable of maintaining constant speed over all loads or of maintaining slightly-increased speed at full loads, if preferred. Further, it is positive and satisfactoryin its action, does not hunt, and is provided with all necessary safety devices. It will be evident that the form and structure maybe varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

My improved governor is useful not only for use in connection with water-wheels, but also with any kind of prime mover and in some respects whether or not the prime mover is driving an electric generator. It is also obvious that the principle is applicable to the regulation of an electric motor driving a load as well as to the regulation of a prime mover driving an electric generator. Certain features of my invention 'are useful in electrical distributing systems` generally, as Well as in other branches of the electrical art and in other arts, and I therefore do not limit my invention or any part thereof to any specific application or use.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The combination with an electric generator, of an electric motor operated from the mains from the generator to control the application of power to the latter, an electromagnetically-operated reversing-switch for the motor, a storage battery connected to the mains and adapted to actuate said switchmagnet, and a governor for the generator which controls the operation of the reversingswitch.

2. The combination with an electric generator, of means for controlling the application of power thereto, electromagnetically-operated controlling means for the same, and a sw-itch controlled by the speed and load of the generator for controlling said electromagnetic means.

IOS

IIO

3. The combination with a machine, of a governor therefor, an electric motor for controlling the application of power to the machine, an electromagnetically-operated controller for the motor, movable terminals for the circuits of the electromagnets, la switchlever coperating with said terminals which is operated by the governor, and means operated by the motor for moving said terminals away from the switch-lever before the machine has been too greatly affected by the motor.

4. The combination with the mains of an electrical circuit of an electric motor driven from said mains, a storage battery in series with a resistance shunted across the mains, and an electrically-actuated controlling device for the motor shunted around the storage battery.

5. The combination of a motive device, a means for regulating the application of power to said device, an electrical switch for controlling said means, and a device for actuating said switch, which is controlled by the speed of and by the load on said motive device and by said regulating means.

6. A regulator for prime movers, comprising a speedresponsive device, such as a centrifugal governor, a motor operating the valve or other regulating means of the prime mover, a source of power for the motor, movable contacts engaged by the speed-responsive device and controlling the motor, and a device for shifting the contacts.

7. A regulator for a machine, which comprises an electric motor, a source of power therefor, a device responsive to the varying conditions of the machine, and an electromagnetically-operated reversing-switch for the motor, said switch being controlled by the responsive device.

8. A regulator for prime movers driving dynamo-electric machines, comprising a motor for operating the valve, a source of power for the motor, contacts and connections by which the power is applied to drive the motor in one direction or the other, a coil in the main circuit and a centrifugal governor both operating the contact-maker controlling the motor; whereby the motor is caused to run in one direction by an increase of load or a drop of speed in the prime mover, and in the other direction by a decrease of load or a rise in speed.

9. 'lhe combination in a regulator for prime movers driving dynamo-electric machinery, of controlling means for the engine, a motor for regulating the controlling means, a source of power for the motor, contacts controlling the application of the power to the motor to drive it in either direction, a solenoid in the main circuit connected to the contact-maker, and a device for shifting the contacts.

10. A regulator for a prime mover driving a dynamo, comprising a motor for operating the Valve of the prime mover, a source of power for the motor, a pair of contacts, and a contact-maker, the latter geared to a centrifugal governor and to the core of a solenoid in the main circuit, with an adjustable relaying device for the contacts.

11. The combination with an electric machine, of means for regulating the application of power thereto, an electric switch for said means adapted to be actuated by variations in the speed and load of said machine, and by said regulating means.

12. The combination with a machine, of a governor therefor, means for controlling the application of power to the machine, electromagnetically-operated means for controlling said means, movable contact-terminals for the circuits of said electromagnetic means, a switch cooperating with said terminals and controlled by the governor, and means controlled by the power-controlling means for moving said contacts away from the switch before the condition of the machine has been too greatly affected by the power-controlling means. Y

13. In a regulating apparatus for a motive device, the combination with an electric motor for regulating the application of power to the apparatus, of a normally acting brake for the motor, electromagnetically-actuated means for releasing the brake when current ows through the motor, and a governor for the motive device which controls the electric motor.

14. The combination with a machine, of a governor therefor, an electric motor for regulating the application of power to the machine, and a controller for the motor, the operation of which is controlled both by the governor andthe motor.

15. The combination with an electric machine, of a second electric machine controlled by the speed or load of the first, for regulat- 'ing the application of power to the first machine, and means operated by the second machine for checking its operation before the first machine has completely responded to the effect of such operation.

16. The combination with an electric machine, of an electric motor arranged to vary the power thereof, electric contacts controlling the operation of said device, a coil in the circuit supplied by the machine, for moving one contact against another, and means controlled by the operation of the electric motor, for moving one contact away from the contact controlled by the coil.

17. The combination with an electric machine, of an electric motor arranged to vary the power of the machine, two electric contacts controlling the operation of said device, a coil in the circuit supplied by the machine, which coil moves one of the contacts to engage the other, a spring tending to move the latter contact in one direction,and means controlled by the operation of the electric motor, for moving said contact in the opposite direction.

18. The combination with an electric machine, of an electric motor arranged to vary IOO TIO

the power thereof, two freely-movable contacts controlling the operation of said device, a device responsive to variations of the demands upon the machine, for moving one contact against the other, and means controlled by the operation of the electric motor,for moving the latter contact away from the first.

19. The combination with an electric machine, of a governor therefor, an electric motor controlled by said governor and adapted to regulate the application of power to said machine, and means operated by the motor for checking its movement before the electric machine has completely responded to the effect of said motor.

20. The combination with an electric machine, of a device responsive to variations of the demands made upon the machine, an electromagnetic device acting directly to vary the power of the machine, an electric contact moved by said responsive device to cause said electromagnetic device to operate, and a device responsive to the operation of the electromagnetic device to stop the operation of the latter.

2l. In a regulator for a motive device, the combination with an electric motor for regulating the application of power to the motive device, a reversing switch for the motor, which is normally in an inoperative position, means for electromagnetically operating said switch, and a governor for the motive device which makes and breaks the circuits of said electromagnetic means.

22. The combination with a motive device, of an electric motor for regulating the application of power thereto, a switch-piece moving with variations in the state of said motive device, and contacts for said switchpiece whereby said electric motor can be operated in each direction, said contacts being adapted to be moved with respect to said switch-piece by the continued movement of said electric motor.

23. The combination with a machine, of a governor therefor, an electric motor for controlling the application of power to the machine, an electromagnetically-operated controller for the motor, and a switch operated by the governor for controlling the circuits of said electromagnetic controller.

2%. The combination with a motive device, of a governor therefor, an electric motor controlled vby said governor for varying the application of power to said device, and an electromagnetic reversing-switch for said electric motor, said governor making and breaking the circuits of said reverse-switch magnets.

25. The combination with a motive device, of a governor therefor, an electric motor controlledy by said governor and adapted to regulate the application of power to said device, a brake for the shaft of said motor, and an electromagnet in the motor-circuit for holding said brake normally from operative engagement.

26. The combination with a motive device, a motor for regulating the application of power thereto, and for controllingr the motor and adapted to be actuated by changes both in the speed and load of the motor device.

27. The combination of a prime mover, means for controlling the power supplied thereto, and means actuating said latter means, under the iniiuence of a speed-responsive device, a load-responsive device and the said power-supply controlling means; substantially as described.

2S. The combination of a prime mover, an electric generator driven thereby, a valve for said prime mover, means for actuating said valve, an electric circuit controlling said actuating means, a switch for said circuit, and means for controlling said switch, including a load-responsive device, a speed-responsive device and means associated with the valve.

29. The combination of a prime mover, an electric generator driven thereby, a valve for said prime mover, a load-responsive device adapted to cause a movement of said valve with changes in load, and means for causing said movement to cease before the valve position corresponding to such increased load has been reached; substantially as described.

30. The combination of a prime mover, a valve therefor, a speed-responsive device for actuating said valve, a load-responsive device also adapted to actuate said valve, and means operated by the valve for stopping such actuation when its proper movement has been effected; substantially as described.

3l. The combination of a prime mover, a valve therefor, an electric generator, a speedresponsive device, and a load-responsive device,coperatively controlling said valve, and means for stopping the movement of the valve, when it has reached a given position; substantially as described.

32. The combination of an electric generator, a controlling mechanism therefor, coperatively actuated by a speed-responsive device anda load-responsive device, and means for automatically causing the stoppage of said mechanism when the proper control has been eifected; substantially as described.

33. The combination of a prime mover, a valve therefor, and a controlling mechanism for the valve cooperatively actuated by a speed-responsive device, a load-responsive device and a device responsive to the valve movement; substantially as described.

34:. The combination of a prime mover, an electric generator driven thereby and means for undercompensating in the power-supply ofthe prime mover for an increase or decrease in load upon the generator.

35. The combination with a prime mover, of a dynamo-electric machine adapted to be driven thereby, a valve for the prime mover, a controlling element for said valve, a speedresp'onsive device adapted by its movement to bring said element into a position of control, a load-responsive device also adapted by IOO IIO

its movement to bring said element into a position of control, and means to negative their effect on the controlling element by the movement of the valve; substantially as described.

36. The combination of a prime mover, a dynamo-electric machine driven thereby, means for controlling the power supplied to the prime mover, means actuating said latter means u nder the inliuence of a speed-responsive device and a load -responsive device, and. connections between the powersupplycont1olling means, andthe actuating means whereby the effect of the latter is modified; substantially as described.

37. The combination ofa prime mover, a dy- JAMES A. LIGHTHIPE.

Witnesses:

S. E. KEARNEY, GUY H. BORLAND. 

